Spark-plug.



Patented May 18, 1915.

w. M. MAREAN, SPARK PLUG. APPLICATION FILED SEPT- 291 19H.

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sirens sniper...

'lilPILGLIAliI M. MAE-EAR, G]? BELVIDERE, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T WILLIS $5. BROJl/ll', OF BELVZDEIRE, ELLINQIS.

SPARK-PL'UG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 19141 Application filed September 29, 1911. Serial No. 651,945.

To oZfwhor/i it may concern Be it known that ii, Wind M M. Masonic, a citizen of the United States, residing at Belvidere, inv the county of Boone and State of Illinois, have iniented certain. new and useful linproveinents in Sparlidlugs, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to sparking devices more particularly designated as spark plugs andv used in connection with combustion engines, and the principal object of the invention to provide an improved, simple and cheap device of the class described which shall be efl'ective and ellicient in op era ti on.

Another object of the invention. is to pro ride means whereby the sparking distance may be positively and readily adjusted. and the parts held firmly in their adjusted po sitions. v

For the attainment of these ends and the accomplishment of other new and useful objects, this invention consists in the features of novelty in the construction, combination and arrangement of the several parts genorally shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a cross sectional. View, in elevation of a spark plug constructed in accordance with the prin ciples of my invention. and 'iositioned in the wall of a combustion chamber. Fig. 2 is a viewou tho'line Z 2 of Fiqzl Fig. 3 is a detailed view of a packing ring.

Some diilicultics are experienced in the sparking devices new used among which may be noted the tendency of the tip of one of the electrodes t bond or become pitted bv the action ofthe spark. and also the inabilityproperly to adjust the spa rk gap between the electrodes. This invention has for its object to obviate these diiliculties and. provide means whereby the n'iovable electrode may be iositivclv positioned with respect to the other electrode, to vary and adjust the spark gap.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, a casing is provided at one end ll with external threads tosccure it in thewall of a coinl'iustiou chau'il-ier and with this end partially closed but forming a central opcning l2. The other end of the shell ispreforablylargor in size and is internally thread ed to receive the remm able shell 13. The

shell 13 is formed at the outer end with an enlarged shoulder l-l which is adapted to abut the outer end of the casing 10 so that when the shell 13 is threaded or screwed into the casing it will. always assume the same relative position, hence it may be removed and replaced stroying the related to it. The inner edge of the shell 13 is threaded preferably at the ends to receive the adjusting members 15 and 16. The outer ends of these members 15 and 16 preferably pro ect without the shell 13 and are provided with nutslrpod portions 17 and 18 to facilitate their adjustment in the shell. The inner edges of the adjusting members as often as desired without deadjustment of the other parts i are preferably provided with inclined faces 1i.) and 20.

Positioned within the shell 13 18 an 1nsulating sleeve 20 termed with an enlarged portion 21 having the inclined faces 22 and 23, which are adapted to correspondwitlr the inclined faces of the adjusting members. interposed between the faces of the ad usting members and the sleeve 20 are gaskets 2%. lhese gaskets may be of any well. known form or construction, and a suitable gasket is made by placing fibrous material 25 be tween metal strips 26 as shown by Fig. '3.

Disposed. within the sleeve 20, and fitting tightly therein is an electrode 27. This elec trode is preferably formed with a shoulder :28 which is adapted to be inserted in a prefcrably circular opening 29 at the inner end of the insulating member 20 and whichbears against a shoulder 30 formed therein. If desired, gasket may be inserted between the shoulder 28 and the shoulder 30. The

inner end of the electrode is formed with an 31 at the end thereof,

there is no danger of the tip becoming bentor displaced. The electrode is further se- 7 cured in position within the insulation 20 by means of a lock-nut 82 positioned on the outer end which is threaded to receive the loch-nut- 32 and the out ti l- Which is diameter or which is less than the diamethe insulating sleeve to hold it positively in position. It will be evident that the lower member 15 ma be positioned in the shell 13 before the shel is inserted in the casing 10 and the sparking distance adjusted or varied before the casing is placed in position. Then by screwing in the shell 13 until the shoulders 14: abut the outer end of the casing, the position of the ball 31 of the electrode 27 with respect to the opening, will be fixed, and as long as the adjusting "member 15 remains in. its adjusted position, the spark gap between the twoelectrodes adjacent to ball 31, will remain the same when the shell 13is screwed down with the shoulder 14 abutting thezznd of the casing. The elec trode and the insulatin sleeve 20 are readily adjustable and remova le, as it is necessary only'to remove the upper adjusting member 16 to remove the electrode 27 and the insulating sleeve 20 from within the shell. It will furthermore be noted that the electrode 27 and the opening 12 are at all times in positive alinement. This will insure that there is no difference in the length of the spark gap between the ball 31 and the edges of the opening 12 at any of the points. By making the portion of the electrode 27, be tween the shoulder 28 and the ball 31, large in size, not only, is the rigidity of the electrode insured but also an economy is elfected in the cost of construction of the electrode, for by making it of the same material as the remainder of the electrode, the construction is simpler and cheaper. It will also be noted that by means of the adjusting members 15 and 16, the position of the elect-rode and the insulating sleeve 20 may be adjusted in either direction. In manv sparking devices there is an adjustment in one direction only, but in this device it is manifest that the adjustment may be in either direction. If desired, the ball 31 may be made removable from the other part of the electrode 27, the object being to permit of the use of any non-corrosive or special metal; such, for ex ample, as highcarbon steel.

What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an electrode, an insulating sleeve with an enlargement inclosing said electrode, a metallic shell threaded on the inside and surrounding the sleeve, adjustable. means in the ends of the shell to' secure and position the sleeve in the shell, and

means adapted to be secured in the wall of a combustion chamber for supporting the shell and forming the second electrode for the device.

2.- A sparking device comprising an electrode, an insulating sleeve with an outside enlargement and inclosing said electrode, a metal shell. threaded onthe inside and surrounding said sleeve, adjustable means for engaging the enlargement at both sides and for adjusting the position of the sleeve and the electrode with respect to the shell, and means to secure the shell to the wall of a combustion chamber and to form a second electrode. k I I 3. A sparking device comprising an electrode, an insulating sleeve with an outside enlargement and inclosing said electrode, a

metal shell threaded on the inside at both ends and surrounding the said enlargement, adjustable members threaded in the ends of the shell and engaging both sides of the enlargement to position the sleeve in the shell,

and an outer metallic casing to receive the In a device of the class described the combination with a casing adapted to be positioned in communication with a combustion chamber, formed with a central aperture at one end and. threaded internally at the other end, of a shell externally and internally threaded and adapted to fit within the casing and-having a shouldered end to abut the said casing, an electrode having a tip smaller than the said aperture, an insulating sleeve in whiclrsaid electrode is mounted and having an enlarged portion adapted to be inserted in the shell, members threzuled to fit. inside the shell and to be moved against the enlarged portion on both sides to position the sleeve and the tip with respect to the aperture in the casing.

(3. In a sjmrking device for combustion engines the combination with a casing threaded externally at one end and internallyat the other, the first named end having a central opening therein, of a shell internally and externally threaded and adapted to abut said casing at the other end, threaded adjusting members with inclined faces disposed in the shell, an insulating sleeve with a correspondingly inclined enwith an outer casing having an electrode 1 therein at one end, of a threaded shell adaptelectrode disposed Within the insulating sleeve having a tip at the inner end extending'into the opening at the end of the casi ng, a'nd the outer end of the electrode pro- -jecting from the insulating sleeve to pro "vide means for electrical connection.

7.'In' a sparking device for combustion eng1nes,,the coinbinationwith a casing having an opening and adapted to be inserted in the wall of a combustion chamber and constituting one of the electrodes of the device, "are 's'hell'threaded therein, the shell being provided with an enlarged shoulder which abuts the outer end of the casing, another electrode With a tip smaller than the said opening and means for electricalconnections at the other end, an insulating sleeve surrounding the elect-rode and having an enlarged portion with inclined faces at the ends, the enlarged portion being of a size to fit within said shell, adjustable members threaded in the shell having inclined faces corresponding with the faces of the enlarged portion of the insulating sleeve and adapted to position the said, sleeve with respect to the shell, and packing gaskets interposed between the said corresponding faces and comprising a non-combustible fibrous material positioned between metal rings, the said casing sleeve and the top adjusting member being provided with nutshaped tops whereby they may be engaged by a Wrench.

8. In a sparking device, the combination with acasing adapted to be inserted in a combustion chamber and having a central circular opening at the bottom, a sleeve mounted in the casing and having an outr enlarged portion which forms a shoulder to engage the outer end of the casing, an elec trodeformed with a shoulder, and an enlarged spherical shaped portion at the extremity less in diameter than the diameter of the said central opening, an insulating sleeve surrounding the electrode and having an internal shoulder coiiperating with the shoulder. on said electrode, said insulating sleeve being adapted to position the electrode in alinement with the central opening and to varythe sparking distance therebetween by longitudinal adjustment of said insulating sleeve, and means to effect said longitudinal adjustment in either direction.

9. In a sparking device, the combination ed to screw into and abut said casing, a sec ond electrode having a tip adapted to be positioned in proximity to the said first elec trode, an insulating sleeve inclosing the second electrode, and means carried by said shell for engaging said sleeve and for adjusting it in said shell whereby the second electrode may be positioned. with respect to the ,casing which forms the first electrode.

'10. In a device otthe class described, the

threaded and adapted to fit within the casing and having a shouldered end to abut the said casing, a second electrode having a tip, an insulating sleeve in which said second electrode is mounted and having an enlarged portion adapted to be inserted in the shell, members threaded to fit inside the shell and to be moved against the enlarged portion on both sides to position the sleeve and the tip with respect to the first electrodc.

11. In a sparking device for combustion engines, the combination with a casing threaded externally at one end and internally at the other, the first named end having an electrode, of a shell internally and externally threaded and adapted to abut said casing at the other end, threaded adjusting members with inclined faces disposed in the shell an insulating sleeve with-a correspondingly inclined enlargen'ient adapted to fit in the shell and between the two adjusting members, and a second electrode disposed within the insulating sleeve having a tip at the inner end extending into proximity to the first electrode at the end of the casing and the outer end of the second electrode projecting from the insulating sleeve to provide means for electrical connection.

12. In. a sparking device For combustion engines, the combination with a casing adapted to be inserted in the wall of a combustion chamber and constituting one of the electrodes of the device, of a shell threaded therein, the shell being provided with an enlarged shoulder which abuts the outer end of the casing, another electrode with a tip at one end and means for electrical connections at the other end, an insulating sleeve surrounding the electrode and having an err larged portion with inclined faces at the ends, the enlarged portion being of a size to fit within said shell, adjustable members threaded in the shell having inclined faces corresponding with the faces of the enlarged portion of the insulating sleeve and adapted to position the said. sleeve with respect to the shell. and packing gaskets interposed between the said corresponding faces and comprising a noncombustible fibrous material positioned l'ietiveen metal rings, the said casing sleeve and the lop adjusting member being PIOViClcd with nutshapedtops whereby they may be cngagedwith a wrench. 13. In a sparking device, the combination with a casing adapted to be inserted in a combustion chamber and having an electrode at the bottom, a sleeve mounted in thecasing and having an outer enlarged portion which forms a shoulder to engage the outer end of the casing, an electrode formed with a shoulder and a tip, an insulating sleeve surroundingthe electrode and having an internal shoulder cooperating with the shoulder on said electrode, said insulating sleeve being adapted to position the electrode in proximity to the first electrode, and to permit of its longitudinal adjustment by a longitudinal adjustment of said insulating means.

14. In a spark plug of the class described, a body shell adapted to be secured in.the wall of a combustion chamber and threaded internally, comprising one' electrode, a tubular shell adapted to be screwed into said body portion, an insulator disposed withinsaid tubular shell and having a beveled enlargement, glands adapted to be screwed into said tubularlshell from each end for clamping 'said'ins'ulator firmly in position, a rod or stem extending longitudinally through said insulator and forming an electrode at its lower end in sparking relation 

